Baked button mushrooms: A delightful, quick recipe with umami twist

Although it's the season for wild mushrooms, let's not forget about button mushrooms. They are healthy, readily available, and can be quickly prepared, even for unexpected guests. When my cousin visited me quite spontaneously last time, I prepared button mushrooms using this recipe. She was delighted with such a light dinner.

Button mushrooms stand out for their high quality. Just choose fresh mushrooms, don't store them for too long, and you have a base for delicious, hot and cold dishes.

What do button mushrooms taste like? Interesting, as they are neither sour nor sweet. They don't have a bitter taste and contain no salt. They are considered to have the "umami" flavour, a term from the Japanese word for "tasty." A characteristic feature of this flavour is that it enhances other flavours. That's why these mushrooms can be prepared in numerous ways and pair so well with herbs.

This time, I marinated the mushrooms in a marinade based on balsamic vinegar before baking them and then added fresh herbs. These ingredients are what make this dish successful. Black, thick balsamic vinegar is a traditional Italian product. It is produced by fermenting grape must, which is reduced, cooked, and then aged in oak barrels for several months to several years. The longer balsamic vinegar is aged, the more intense its flavour and aroma become, but it also becomes significantly more expensive. However, a cheaper, semi-sweet balsamic vinegar, which is usually younger, will suffice for the marinade.

The second ingredient I mentioned is herbs. I added a sprig of fresh rosemary, which gave the button mushrooms a slightly woodsy aroma that complements the mushrooms perfectly. I served the baked mushrooms with just a green salad. My cousin said she had never tasted better mushrooms. You can bake both white and brown button mushrooms this way.

Ingredients:

• 300 grams of small button mushrooms,
• 1 white onion.

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons of canola oil,
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar,
• 1 and a half tablespoons of soy sauce,
• Garlic to taste,
• Salt and pepper to taste,
• A pinch of sugar or a bit of honey.

Additionally:

• Several sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Directions:

        
1. Gently clean the mushrooms so that the caps remain intact.
2. Peel the onion and cut it into thin half-slices. Place them in an ovenproof dish. Arrange the mushrooms on top.
3. Prepare the marinade by mixing the canola oil, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. Season the marinade to taste.
4. Pour the prepared marinade over the mushrooms and onions, and mix to coat the mushrooms with the liquid. Place the rosemary sprigs on top. Cover the ovenproof dish, and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Then uncover the dish and place it in an oven preheated to 200°C (392°F) and bake for about 20 minutes.